Fly Free
by LovingMarvel
Summary: Maximum thinks she can have a happy life and settle back down with the Flock at their 'E' house like old times. She is so very wrong. They will always be on the run from the School. On the way to freedom they will make new friendships, witness death, and come face to face with new enemies. And maybe along the way they just might Fly Free.
1. Chapter 1: Max

_A/N: I do realize how similar this is to the first book 'The Angel Experiment'. You don't have to remind me, I face palm myself all the time about it. All rights go to Mr. James Patterson. I am not trying to copy his work. I began writing this Fanfiction about two-three years ago. Now, after we got all that out of the way... Let the story commence! (And I do hope you enjoy!)_

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The branches around me reach out and claw at my pale bare arms. My breath drums in my ears and I pump my arms at my sides, propelling myself forward, faster. I frantically zigzag between the green vegetation as I try to catch up to my sister, Ella.

"Max! Max! Help me!" Ella cries. My heart pounds in my chest.

"Ella, I'm coming!" I shout back. The Flyboys are chasing her for the first time and I am absolutely _terrified_. Humans, like Ella, are not supposed to get messed up the School and their inhabitants. Yet, here I am trying to stop the School's evil creations from taking my sister as well.

"Max!" She wails again, her voice distant in the forest. Suddenly, my foot catches on a tree root and I sail through the air until I fall, sprawling out in the dirt and leaves. Quickly though, I vault myself back onto my sore, bare feet. To save time after my incident, I launch myself into the air, unfurl my wings, and fly up above the tree line. From above, the forest looks beautiful, peaceful even. But before I can relax into the beauty before me, I spy Ella dashing through a small clearing between the trees and I race after her. She glances back over her shoulder, her eyes wide in terror, and screams. The Flyboys, replacements of the original Erasers, don't seem to have any ravenous dogs. But the dogs, much like the Erasers, must have as well been exterminated. When I finally see Ella running through a large, open clearing, I dive down to the ground.

"Ella, I'm here!" I cry, tears of relief welling in my eyes, blurring my vision. I quickly wipe my face with my cold, dirty arm so Ella doesn't see me as the weak one. _Nothing_ makes me seem weaker than crying. Roughly landing on the mulch covered ground, Ella runs straight into my outstretched arms and I hug her tightly.

"Thank the Gods you are here, Max. I was so scared." She whispers between sobs into my ear. I don't understand how Ella, a human younger than me, could outrun the Flyboys and their guns. The whole Flock can run faster than a grown man, even Angel and she's just seven years old. Then, all of a sudden, the Flyboys burst into the clearing, all three of them with their big murderous guns pointed at Ella and me. On instinct, I forcefully shove Ella behind me, causing her to stumble, and I spread my legs in a stance. They growl at me, they want Ella for new experimenting. Not while I'm alive, not ever. They train their red laser dots on my chest. I look down at my tattered jeans and tee-shirt. Fang used to say it was his favorite shirt of mine as he smelled my neck. I almost smile at the memory but it shows as a half-smirk instead. I smirk back at them, tempted to say 'Do it, I dare you'. But I know the Flyboys wouldn't hesitate doing so. Their fingers flex on the triggers. The center Flyboy growls at the others, keeping his focus on me, and they back off, lowering their guns. The middle Flyboy seems to say 'Don't worry, I got this one'. I just continue to smirk at him and I hear Ella swallow loudly and choke back more salty tears. I close my eyes and swallow the lump in my throat.

"I love you, Ella." I whisper. "Tell mom I love her too."

"No." Ella says. "No, Max, you are not dying." I nod, but I know in reality, I will anyway. I was engineered with an expiration date, I could drop dead at anytime. But next thing I know, I am clenching my teeth and the bullet is fired. Then it is over. No pain, no anything.

_Is this what it feels like to be dead?_

I wonder to myself. I open one eye and see the Flyboys standing there, completely still. Next thing I know, one grunts and they all peel away and take cover into the woods. Suddenly, I hear a half-gulp/half-gasping sound. I look down in front of me, my eyes widening. My dirt caked hands slide up to my mouth as tears escape from my eyes and chase each other down my face. My worst fear has come true, Ella, my sister, is dead. Her eyes stare up blankly towards the sky with that same childish glimmer in them. Her hand barely twitches and I sit down beside her, taking her hand in mine.

"Max." She says, her voice barely audible. Her eyes continue to stare straight up at the sky. Blood blooms on her ruffled shirt and I soon realize her own blood is spattered on my shirt, Fang's favorite shirt, and my pale arms.

"Yes, Ella?" I choke, squeezing her small hand tighter so she knows I am here. Ella's eyes flitter towards mine for just a second, moist from unshed tears.

_She's in so much shock that she can't cry_.

"I love you, Max." She utters.

"I love you so much, Ella." I whisper. Then I hear her last, uneven breath, and she is gone forever. Ella.

_I was supposed to protect her_. She saved my life and sacrificed her own for a mutant, a freak of nature. I should have never been created, and then Ella would have had a normal, happy human life. But instead, a tiny hole in her chest killed her.

_The Flyboys killed her_.

I lay my head on Ella's unmoving chest and let a few tears loose, sending ragged sobs through my body.

_Let them hear how much pain they've caused me_.

But before I get much mourning done, I hear the leaves rustle in the forest just beyond my weeping form. I glance up, tear stained, with an furious expression on my face. Before me stands my own brother, Ari, with a big gun and a wicked grin on his wolfish face. I shake my head at him in disgust.

"Haven't you done enough, Ari?" I ask. My voice sounds strangely steady and calm as I speak.

"Not quite, sis." He answers, targeting his gun at me.

I bolt upright in bed, screaming myself awake for the fourth time this month. I am drenched in a layer of sweat and panting as if I went for an early morning jog. Momentarily, I am paralyzed with fear that Ella really is dead. Relief courses through me as I remember it was just another horrible nightmare. The same one for the fourth time this month.

Restless, I get out of bed, wrap a fuzzy blanket around my thin figure, and walk into the bathroom across the hall from my room. I let the blanket pool around my ankles and I turn on the faucet, cupping my hands and splashing tepid water on my face. Before I can dry my face off, two hands come down on my shoulders and I jump, blindly cuffing the person behind me.

"Ouch, Max." Dylan exclaims. I grab the hand towel on the side of the sink and dab my face with it.

"Sorry, Dylan, you frightened me." I say guiltily, tossing the towel on the floor. "Serves you right. Why are you up so early scaring people? Namely, me?" I ask him, folding my arms.

"Oh, you know. Just getting a midnight snack." Dylan answers lamely, scratching his neck. "Why are _you_ awake?" I shrug.

"Couldn't sleep." I say vaguely. He laughs a bit.

"Yeah, I heard you scream again." I turn away and blush.

"Oh, uh, sorry." Now everything is getting kind of awkward. I yawn and bend over to pick up my blanket at my feet. "Well I'm tired." I tell him. "Night." Before I can protest, Dylan picks me up bridal style and cradles me in his arms, pressing me against his warm body. "Dylan…" I beg softly, my eyes drifting close. He quietly shushes me as he carries me into his dark room. Dyaln lays me down on his bed and drapes my blanket over my body, then pulls his soft comforter up to my shoulders. I yawn again, my eyes heavy. He leans over and gently kisses my forehead.

"Good night, Max." My lips go up in a slight smile before falling into a deep dreamless sleep. This time without any nightmares of Flyboys chasing my half-sister, Ella. Just sleep, blissful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Max

I wake up from my rejuvenating sleep a few hours later. So far it is eerily quiet, usually everyone is up by now, laughing at my attempt to make breakfast. As I get up and open the refrigerator door, Iggy comes lumbering down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Ig." I greet.

"Mornin'" He replies groggily. I turn back to the fridge to grab milk and eggs. With one hand I hold the milk, and with the other, I take out the eggs. I turn around to set the food on the island when Iggy falls on the floor. "Ugh…" Iggy groans.

"Oh, yeah sorry, Iggy. We moved the furniture yesterday."

"I know, I found out for myself." He grumbles, propping himself up on one arm. Gazzy and Angel then walk into the living room, hand in hand, looking perky and adorable as always.

"Why is Iggy on the floor?" asks Gazzy, gazing at the boy on the ground.

"We forgot to tell him we moved the furniture." Angel replies, taking the words straight from my thoughts. Iggy grumbles, offers to make breakfast, and stands up. Angel, being as sweet as she is, offers to drag Nudge out of bed. Gazzy helps me rearrange the furniture again, so when Iggy wakes up in the morning he doesn't land on his face again. As soon as Iggy is finishes making the chocolate chip pancakes, we sit down to eat. That is when Fang comes out of his dark cave to eat.

"So what are we going to do today?" Nudge asks, bouncing in her chair. Fang slips into his chair and takes a plate of stacked pancakes.

"Ah… shopping." I reply vaguely, eying Fang out of the corner of my eye. I stuff another pancake into my mouth.

"Oh, shopping!" She squeals, delighted. "I really want to go shopping! I especially need new clothes. Like, I need new jackets, shoes, skirts, tank tops, socks. Oh my gosh, I saw this really trendy backpack two weeks ago! I would really like to replace my old smelly one so I can put my things in. Oh my, today is going to be so much fun! What-" Fang quickly covers Nudge's mouth with his hand.

"Gods, Nudge!" Iggy roars. "You are going to make me go on a crazy murderous rampage!" Fang removes his hand from Nudge's mouth so he can continue shoveling food into his mouth. Nudge smiles sheepishly down at her plate.

"Sorry, Iggy. I was just so excited."

"We are only going food shopping anyway." I add, spooning another batch of eggs into my mouth.

"Oh." Nudge says quietly.

"This is why we don't eat at the table together." Gazzy points out. We all nod in agreement. Soon after we finish eating, we throw all the dishes into the dishwasher. Just as I am closing the heavy door, Gazzy tosses something in.

"What was that, Gazzy?" I demand, folding my arms.

"Socks." He grins back. I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand.

"I told you, no explosives in the dishwasher!" I open the door and wait impatiently. The smile on his face fades as he reaches in, grabs the socks, and sulks away. I roll my eyes as I search the machine for more hidden explosives. But I find a pair of whitey tighties instead. "Gazzy!" I shout. Footsteps ring out through the hallway as he runs back to me.

"Yes, Max?" He asks sweetly.

"Are those yours?" I demand, pointing to the underwear filled coffee mug. Gazzy's nose scrunches up.

"No… but that is genius!" He yelps excitedly. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Actually, Max, those are mine." Iggy calls from the couch. My eye twitches.

"Why? Why would you torture our dishes like that, Iggy?" He shrugs.

"Dunno. If the dishes are that clean and spotless, I thought, 'hey, why not my underwear?'." I sigh, shaking my head. 'You can't see.' I almost point out.

"Go get your socks, Gazzy." I say exhausted. Gazzy's face lights up as he runs into his shared room and comes back a few moments later. He drops the socks into my outstretched palm. I remove the explosives and toss the socks into the dishwasher, pressing start.

"Um, Max? You forgot to put soap in there." Gazzy says blandly. I lift the corner of my mouth in a snarl.

"You do it." I grumble. Then I walk away, to comfort of my bedroom.

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_*A/N: Sorry for the short (and not to mention really boring) chapter. It's not my best, I know. Hope you enjoyed anyway. It will get better though, I promise that._


	3. Chapter 3: Max

After dressing in a plain white shirt, bleached jeans, scuffed red high tops, and my favorite jacket Fang gave me as an 'I'm sorry I can be a jerk sometimes' present, the whole Flock sets out to the sky. Since we live in the big "E" house in the middle of nowhere, we have to fly to the nearest town twenty miles away to reach the grocery store. Even then, I still need to figure out how we are going to fly everything home. Maybe we all should have brought our backpacks.

Total, of course, also rides along in Angel's scrawny arms, loving the wind in his face. Somehow, Nudge manages to stay quiet for a while, which I later realize she was listening to the latest Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars albums on her Mp3 player. Don't even ask how we got the Mp3 player, it's a long story. Suddenly, Iggy stops flying in mid air and begins to hover. Gazzy and Nudge both "run" into him.

"Why did you stop, Iggy?" Gazzy chirps with grumbling Nudge right behind him.

"Do you hear that?" Iggy asks, ignoring Gazzy and Nudge. I hush the Flock, or more like shouted at them, and listened intently. Sure enough, what Iggy had heard were Flyboys. We all saw them coming from a mile away with our raptor vision.

"Are those… wings?" Fang blurts, asking the question everyone was thinking.

"That's an improvement…" Nudge breathes, ripping out her earbuds and stuffing them into her backpack pocket.

"Haven't seen them in a while…" I mutter to myself. All of a sudden shock races though my body and I whip my head around to get a good glance at the Flock, my gaze lingering on Fang. Iggy, Fang, Gazzy, Angel, Total, Nudge… "Where is Dylan?" I say, panicking.

"Why does it matter, Max? He. Is. Not. One. Of. Us." Fang replies with abrupt anger. Well that escalated quickly. I stare back at him with big eyes.

"He _is_ one of us, Fang. He has wings like us. He is just as much of a _mistake _as the rest of us!" I shout back. I know I shouldn't have yelled back because I know it wouldn't have helped with our disagreement, which I later regret. Gazzy and Nudge look uncertainly at each other. Angel ducks her head and tries not to listen to our rather loud conversation. Whereas Iggy just hovers there with his pinky in his ear, without a care in the world. Fang shakes his head, annoyed.

"It pains me how much you care about him." The look on his face, that disgust he shows, makes me feel guilty. Fang continues to fly on, and Nudge looks back at me with a confused expression, quickly deciding to follow after Fang. Gazzy also gives me an apologetic frown and taps the back of Iggy's hand, they too leaving me. I glance over and notice just Angel and Total remaining with the all terrible Max. Sighing, we begin to slowly fly after them. After a long earsplitting silence, Angel opens her mouth to speak.

"Fang loves you very much, Max." She says quietly. I let out an accidental snort.

"It didn't sound like that back there." I point out.

"I read his thoughts though, Max." She says, shaking her said. "I- I didn't mean to though. I swear. I just sort of slipped into his mind." Angel adds quickly after.

"It's okay. Ange." I murmur, letting my mouth go up in a smile.

"Max?"

"Hmm, Angel?"

"Dylan went out flying around midnight. I heard him leave shortly after you woke me up." Angel blurts it all so quickly I swear she said it in one breath. She squeezes Total closer to her chest, causing him to let out a wheeze in protest. My mouth hangs opens in surprise.

"Hang on there, kiddo. I can't breathe with you squeezing me like that." Total complains.

"Sorry, Total." She whispers, releasing him from her arms. He happily flies around her in circles.

"I could chase squirrels up trees and finally be able to catch them." Angel giggles in response, her eyes crinkling with laughter. But my mind is still too busy reeling with what Angel said about Dylan, to comment on how cute she and Total are being.

"Wait." I say. "So Dylan left around midnight?" Angel nods her head in response, her blonde curls bouncing. So he lied about getting a snack then tucked me into his warm bed so he could go out flying. I shake my head disapprovingly. When I see him again I'm going to make sure he gets a good punching. I look over to see Fang and the others approaching the Flyboys, fast. "Well, time to get this over with. Let's disembody some Flyboys." I say, smiling over at Angel. Angel returns a childish grin and Total whoops excitedly.

"Let's kick some hindquarters! CHARGE!" Then we all swoop into battle, three mutants together.


	4. Chapter 4: Dylan

Dylan

When I finally come to, I am groggy and my eyes feel like they are glued shut. I glance around the room; white walls, three unoccupied gurneys, and a solid colored cabinet. I'll just go out and say it's not the most exciting room I have ever been in. Plus, that stench, that chemical stench.

"Dylan?" Asks a slightly familiar voice. "Are you awake?" In response, I fake a yawn and roll over, careful not to tip the gurney. I look up in mock surprise at the man.

"Oh, I didn't see you there." I say casually. He squints at me but comes walking towards me anyway. I looked at the man straight in the eye, a man I knew well. "So, where am I?" I ask dumbly, stretching out on the gurney. I raise an eyebrow in waiting, anticipating the man's answer.

"Well," he tugs at his shirt collar and his eyes flick to the side, glancing behind me, "you are in a hospital, Dylan." The man pats my hand as if to say 'accidents happen'.

"Lies." I mumble, my gaze slipping from his.

"What was that, Dylan?"

"Lies!" I shout forcefully, yanking away my hand. He sighs, moving back a bit.

"It doesn't have to be difficult, Dylan. _You _don't have to be difficult." My eyes snap back to his own in sudden rage.

"But it is and I have to resist, Jeb!" I yell. "I have to resist for Max." I say a bit quieter. Jeb watches me intently, pursing his lips.

"So you remember how you got here last night." It wasn't a question.

"Of course." I scoff. I don't remind him it was after midnight that they dragged me into this dump. "Your dumb bots kidnapped me." He nods.

"Indeed, yes." I roll my eyes and fold my arms.

"Like I would be much help to you anyway, Jeb. I'm not telling you anything."

"I figured, but we can use you for testing. Plus someone, like Maximum perhaps, would have to come rescue you. Is that correct?" Jeb says it all with a smug face. But I already realize that the Whitecoats are using me as bait to get to Max. They might force us to… mate. I quickly decide I need to get out of here as soon as possible. Max and the rest of the Flock has had enough of this torture.

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_ *A/N: I am trying to get back into the writing groove. I've had this chapter typed up for ages but I haven't put it up until now. It's dreadful and short but I'll have more posted soon. Thanks for sticking with it._


	5. Chapter 5: Max

After a lot of groaning and moaning, we all agreed to leave the area in case of another Flyboy infestation and travel to California. I stare in front of me, thinking of Dylan, my brow furrowed. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Fang's serious face. I glance back at the Flock, they are almost ten feet behind us. I turn to look at Fang, guilt etched in my face.

"I'm sorry about before." I apologize vaguely.

"I shouldn't have reacted so harshly about the matter. I know it means a lot to you." He replies stone-faced. I frown. He still apologized, well, more of a I-could-care-less apology. But it still works, more or less.

"Apology accepted." I say, flashing him a half smile. Fang doesn't look over, though. I sigh as I feel someone poke my shoulder.

"I'm hungry, Max." Gazzy whines. "What time is it?" I open my mouth to speak but Iggy beats me to it.

"Hang on, I'll check." He says, pushing up his sleeve to "look" at his imaginary watch. The two burst into uncontrollable laughter. I roll my eyes.

"You guys are going to end up eating bugs!" I shout over their laughter.

"Technically, Max, I don't think there are bugs this high in the atmosphere." Nudge quickly explains. Sometimes I wonder how she doesn't just sit there breathless after all the talking she does. "I think I learned that when Anne Walker enrolled us in school. Or maybe it was when I was watching that educational outdoor television show with Iggy one night." She continues. And I think she would have kept babbling on if Iggy hadn't intervened.

"Hello, blind!" Iggy calls out, waving his hands in front of his face, unblinking. Nudge giggles at Iggy and I feel a strange pang in my heart. I want to watch a late night television show with my best friend, or Dylan even. I sigh and Fang peers over at me.

"What?" I finally ask.

"You know we have to go to the School, right?" Fangs tells me.

"Why?" I ask, knitting my eyebrows.

"I'm pretty sure that's where Dylan is." Fang replies.

"Opposed to…?"

"Being raised by comic book worshipers."

"Good point." I finish. "Next stop: the School."

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_*A/N: There will be more to come with longer chapters._


	6. Chapter 6: Dylan

When I thought I had the perfect opportunity to escape, the enemy was ready for my move. So, obviously, they- Jeb, the Flyboys, and the Whitecoats- were already prepared for this situation. The Whitecoats pin me down on the gurney, or more like they sat on my limbs, before I was even able to jump away. Apparently, after I passed out, I was given an injection that relaxed my muscles, resulting in my disastrous "escape". I would have fallen flat on my face, anyway.

Then, Jeb, of all people, sits on a rolling office chair right in front of me. I scowl at him, but mostly the chair. That evil chair, working for _them. _He sighs then begins.

"Well, as you may know, Dylan, you are here for research purposes." I dryly laugh at Jeb's attempt to make all of this seem as if it is just "research". The Whitecoats that are holding me down strap my limbs and torso to the gurney with Velcro restraints. Well, aren't they just ready for everything?

"How does your tiny brain process, Jeb? Do you really think that I would actually believe that you kidnapped me from the sky and strapped me down to a bed all in the name of science?" I shout angrily. I hear the chuckling Whitecoats farther away but I focus all of my energy on Jeb. Jeb, on the other hand, just continues to sit on his stupid rolling chair with his lips pursed, staring at me.

"Dylan," he says finally, "this is for your own good. We will be testing your abilities to see how far you have advanced-"

"For my own good?!" I explode. The Whitecoats, startled, dash off towards the automatic sliding doors. Good, make them tremble in their socks. "Is killing innocent bird kids with a simple snap of your fingers also for my own good?! What are your hobbies? Converting children to mutations then killing them? Or even better, watching them suffer and die horrible, inhumane deaths?" I scream at him, shaking and rattling the gurney as I rant. "You need to get a real life, all of you!" I continue. Jeb stares back at me, utterly shocked at all of my shouting.

What can I say, Max is a marvelous teacher. I wouldn't have learned it anywhere else. It is one of the many reasons why I love her, besides the fact that I am her perfect other half.

I can tell I spooked the Whitecoats as I lay there, my breathing uneven and loud in my ears. I could hear them tremble when I spoke.

"He is a handful." They whisper.

"I wonder when we dissect this one!" Another one exclaims. Jeb stands up and clears his throat.

"Why don't you kill me now, it will save you time and a whole bunch of injuries." I suggest.

"No, Dylan, you are much too valuable. You wouldn't understand, you're too young."

"I don't think you are handling this package with care." I reply in a sing songy voice. He looks up and nods to an approaching man. I laugh and shake my head. "I think I understand, Jeb. I'm the one living this life, not you. I hope you rot in-" The approaching man stabs my arm with a full syringe, emptying all of its contents into my bloodstream then pulls it out. "Oh…" I say, my head lolling to the side. That is some pretty potent stuff, they don't mess around. A Whitecoat removes the rolling chair and I blow a raspberry at it.

"Come on, let's get away from this useless freak." I hear one Whitecoat mutter. Another nods in agreement as they leave through the door.

"What would Max say about this?" I say sloppily to Jeb. Then the drugs make my vision hazy. "How many Whitecoats does it take to screw in a light bulb?" I slur, laughing before I get to the punch line. "None, they force an experiment to." I laugh harder than I need to. And before I know it, I'm falling into a world where everything makes so much more sense.

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*_A/N: Really short chapter (sorry sorry). The comebacks are terrible (sorry sorry). Next chapter to come is longer though [happy dance]. _


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